Webkinz

My girls have this obsession with these toys and playing the games online. S more so than R, but between them they have lots. We have no diet soda in the house that is not expired (for the last 2 weeks). Expired soda tastes way to horrible to drink, not that I haven't repeatedly tried to. But after a sip, I dump out the rest. I guess I keep thinking it's not so bad and keep trying until that first sip, then I think, what was I thinking? I drink water all day long when I'm at school, I just want something with a little flavor and bubbles every once in awhile. Today I was desperate for a diet coke, that the girls and I stopped at 7 Eleven for a 44 ouncer. Who knew they sell Webkinz at 7 Eleven? I didn't have to buy any, but I did anyway, only one for each girl. 2 reasons, first I forgot to have S take her ADHD medicine today and I know it will keep her out of my hair so to speak, playing with a new character, and the ones they had were all retired ones and not easy to come by (so the girls tell me).

Busy week

P got home on Monday afternoon safely from hiking at the Grand Canyon with his Dad and brother. They actually were standing in the driveway when the girls and I got home from school. There wasn't much time for me to hear about his trip, since I had a meeting at church. Tuesday wasn't much better because I had my class. Wednesday was a little worse, with dance classes and bible study. Yesterday, he took J driving, and the girls and I watched "our" Thursday night TV (it's the only night I usually watch anything). Today I took a personal day, for S's field trip. It was to Junior Achievement Biz Town. The students work jobs in various businesses, like Papa John's, Cox communication, Wells Fargo, APS, etc. etc. It was pretty neat. I was the leader at the radio station, and S worked at the mall. This is a picture of her at her shop. P and I went out for an early dinner, and finally a chance to talk. We went to see The Secret Lives of Bees. I read the book awhile ago, and didn't really like it. But the movie? I loved! I don't think I have ever cried so much ever during a movie.

Stomachs

S got sick in the middle of the night. Therefore she missed chorus and school. When I told the music teacher why she missed chorus, she says we need to pray for her weak stomach. I think OK, so she threw up last year on stage during a chorus thing, and was sick last night, it's not like she's sick every week, or even all the time. But praying is a good thing. It just seemed weird when she said it. I left her home while I took J to the DVM for his permit test. She napped the whole time, so she was OK, by herself. I felt fine about J getting his permit until they called his name, after he took the test. Then I sat there and thought with a clenched stomach what if he passes? He'll be on his way to driving, YIKES! He did pass, and wanted to drive home, LOL, but I think maybe a few outtings in an empty parking lot, and use of the driver's ed simulator needs to happen first.

run around...slow day

J decides to ask me this morning for a ride to school. He says he can't take projects on the bus. He had his model volcano to get to school today. It wouldn't have been that bad to take him, but S also had chorus at 7:30, and I had R's conference at 8. P's car was in the shop. R had a dentist appointment at 9. P took her. But there was lots of running around way to early this morning. But then my day slowed way down, as in almost stopped. The student I work with most of my day was not at school today. I did silly begging for work jobs all day. Then at the end of my day, the student I have for the last 45 minutes, has a temperature and is waiting for his mom to come pick him up. Back to begging. After school there's much running around again getting P's car from the shop, getting girls to dance, trying to get homework done. No time to cook dinner, pizza carryout to the rescue, bible study starts in an hour. What a crazy mixed up day.

New trick in bed!

No not what you may think. Somehow I've been scooting down my bed as I am sleeping (taking my pillow with me), when I wake up I can't seem to locate the alarm to turn it off. The first time it happened it just seemed strange. But now that it's happening almost every morning, it's just plain weird. It was a nice long weekend. Friday night out to dinner with my in-laws for my brother-in-laws birthday. After 2 hours R was getting a little bored, so she said she was sick. We left, I wasn't really ready to deal with a melt down. Sat. J had to be at John C Lincoln for a ROTC project, at 9, at the same time S's first dance class start. J got to get dropped off early. I had a meeting at church at 10, left both girls at the dance studio. J called around 11 saying he was done. Since I wasn't he walked over to Jack in the Box to wait for me. Picked J up around 11:30, then S, dropped them both off at home, went back to the dance studio to wait for R to get done. J went to spend the day at my sister's. The girls and I went shopping. Justice to get boots, they had to have, and they were on sale 25% off, and I had fun bucks to save another $30. I'm having this trend eating fresh fruits right now, so we went to Sprouts too, and loaded up on some treats for the week. Read and played outside the rest of the afternoon. Then we made fajita pitas for dinner. P got home and we started to watch a movie, only I didn't last long. (I feel asleep) oops. Sunday was kinda another long day with church at 9 and then the girls and I came home and started laundry before taking S to her Snow Queen rehearsal. Got back for that then finished up the laundry, J got home from my sister's and we started to work on his volcano project that's do on Wednesday. Didn't get to bed until after 12. I was thankful for no school on Monday and we could sleep in. 9:30 wake up time was awesome. Reading was a big part of the day. S had to make a model of a plant or animal cell, and label the parts she spend hours working on it, I thought it looked pretty good. Can't wait until she's graded on it. I did have to drive out to Mesa yesterday afternoon to see my foot doctor. Because I am not completely pain free in the foot I had done, he gave me a shot of cortisone in it. I asked him to do the other one too. I did notice today and improvement in my right foot. This work week is crazy. I had a class after school tonight, that was supposed to get out at 8, but we were done a little after 6. The class concludes next week, and they said we would get out early next week too as long as we pass the test. Thursday and Friday are half days, but I still have to work full days. We decided to work late on Thursday till 6, then leave at 12 on Friday. Then I hope I remember to take J to the DMV for him to take the permit test. J is going camping with his scout troop leaving at 4, P will have left at 10 with his Dad and brother hiking trip across the Grand Canyon. It will be just me and the girls holding done the fort.

Better

It was such a long week, with something to do every afternoon/evening this past week. P worked every night too (other than Friday) By then I was so tired. P was off all weekend, we were able talk about my frustrations, and his needing to help me. It's been a nice weekend, he's been off and helpful. I hope it keeps up. We went out to dinner just the two of us last night for the first time in what seems like forever. The weather has cooled down this weekend too, it's been lovely all around.

doctor office visits

This afternoon I had to go get my blood level checked. I made the appointment yesterday morning. The office front girl says "my appointment is tomorrow." But they did the test anyway. I was the only patient in the office, I'm so glad they could find a nurse to spare, to poke my finger. I have had so many of these done, I could probably have done it, if they would have let me. But the funniest thing was when I went to get on the elevator to leave, my doctor was walking out of it. Which isn't very funny now is it? But my first thought was that's about normal appointment with him! Usual appointments he's in and out in less than 60 seconds. On my way home I have to stop at the kids doctor's office to pick up S's prescription. There was a woman in front of me on her cell phone at the counter. I'm not sure who she was talking to, but it didn't seem to be related a child/sickness/doctor type thing but she just stood there hammering away. As the office worker rolls her eyes and I wait. You'd think she could have found somewhere else to stand and yak? Or better yet sit down and watch her 3 children. (I know this part because they left when I did)

In a funk-be warned I'm whiny

I have been really down lately, I am crying over nothing or things that would not normally upset me. Enough that I scheduled a doctor's visit to talk to her about this. Maybe my anti-depressant needs to change. I am felling totally out of control. Friday afternoon I did the grocery shopping for a few weeks, so I didn't have that huge chore on Saturday, even though I knew my feet would greatly protest. But some how I've got to figure out time for relaxing. All I did on Saturday was, take J to his ROTC thing, took the girls to dance, picked up J, and read. J even grilled the chicken breasts for dinner, and there was leftovers to go with them, so I had no cooking. Sunday we went to the first service, came home for S to get ready for her Snow Queen rehearsal, and I started laundry. Then last night I had a church event I had to attend as a leader of a bible study group. Hope by 8:30. The rest of this week and next will be more running around. Every afternoon is booked with something. And where is Pat in all of this madness? At Fry's working till 9:30 PM or later. I'm tried when do I get to sleep in. I need a break!

Prayers are helping and other randomness

The young girl, is doing better, she still has a many more surgeries needed, but she's stable. J turns 15 1/2 on Thursday. What this means to him is he get to obtain his drivers permit. I noticed last week, in the paper about a driver's education class, 12 weeks, once a week, 3 hours per night. He started tonight. I'm getting a wee bit tired already tonight and I'll have to go pick him up at 9. The calendar said Fall today, but the thermometer said 102. Bhaaaaaaaaaaa I actually sayed cool until at 2 PM, then walking around dropping students back to classes, and then bus duty turned on my sweat glands. EEK.

Poor customer service at restaurants

Seemed like a theme this weekend. Friday night we were out for dinner with P's family for his Mom and Dad's birthdays. A lot of the food was delivered cold. The waiter was not so good about handling this situation, to the fact it felt like he thought we were lying. And even when he brought back my sister-in-laws it was still cold. I ate some of my meal, at the restaurant, but it wasn't that hot. And a baked potato should not be cooked so much that it tastes like mashed potatoes. I brought home most of my steak and mushrooms and ate them for lunch yesterday, the meat was so fatty, GROSS I didn't eat much of it. Very disappointing. The manger and waiter didn't really seem to care all the much about making us happy, only to try to blame the kitchen. Today the kids and I went to JIB for lunch. The guy taking our order couldn't seem to stop filling up the little bags for future salad orders, to take our order or repeat that he got it right. He handed me the receipt and asked me to check if it was right. S decided she wanted something else, after I paid for everything else. The first order was called to us, pretty quickly, but my curly fries were very hard and cold. And my burger that I asked for extra sauce on, had extra mustard instead. I don't complain, just wipe the mustard off and ask J to go ask for some sauce and S's order. The manager didn't believe we ordered this item, and told him it belonged to someone else. What? They must have given it to someone else, because when I went to the counter and still had to fight with the manger, he got someone to start cooking the item. The manager never apologized for the mistake. He did get the sauce for me, but had to finish talking to the guy at the grill about something personal first, now my burger is also cold. UGH. The manger did at least bring S her food when it was done cooking, only she can't eat it because it's too hot, and the rest of us were done eating, and she was full because she ate most of my cold fries.

Please pray

I have a huge sinus headache. At lease I don't have to go anywhere else today. This past week have been incredibly busy. But I wanted to ask for your prayers- a young girl from my neighborhood was hit by a van on Thursday afternoon. Yesterday they didn't know if she would make it. Today I found out she did and has made it through one of the many surgeries she will need. She is still in critical condition.

No sleep

For the tired, well not much anyway. I couldn't figure out last night why I could not fall asleep. I had a sinus headache and took some Tylenol, before going to bed. Usually when I take Tylenol on top of my usual sleeping aid, (I usually take this at dinner, so I don't forget later) I am asleep before I can turn the lights out. Not so last night and I was too tired to try to figure out why that was, so instead, I just tossed and turned most of the night, (dumb reasoning I know, but I was tired) my headache did go away though. This morning I'm looking through my medicine storage container that I have to use, so I remember to take all the pills I take daily. All the pills for yesterday are gone, and I remember taking my medicine last night at dinner, I was stumped, if I took the sleeping aid why didn't I fall asleep? I look at today's assortment of pills and don't see that familiar little blue one. I guess if I don't put the pills in the storage container I don't take them either. Some how yesterday morning when I'm filling up the stupid thing up, and getting myself and 3 girls ready, for school I didn't even notice I had missed putting that pill in, and then didn't notice not taking it at dinner. I'm glad it wasn't one of my heart meds I forgot. But geez, I could also do without a burning throat today, because of lack of sleep.

What to do? x2

S signed up for art club at school, every other Wednesday before school. Today she gives me a permission slip for chorus which meets twice a week before school on Wednesdays and Fridays. In the past chorus has been on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I didn't think they would overlap, at the time I signed the permission slip for art club. She wants to do both, but really wants to do chorus. But I feel bad that she's signed up for art club, not knowing chorus was going to be on different days this year. Part of me thinks she should do art club because she already committed to it, but then I think that stinks, that she can't do both. And the art club is way cool, they actually do art, not like in art class were the students draw most weeks. But don't even get me started on this. I could go on and on about how frustrating that is as a parent and for the kids. And I have to work with this teacher, so I don't really want to make her mad. My second "what to is" is about the neighbor girl who's mother pays me to care for her before school. This child drives me nuts. Last weekend I felt trapped in my own house. She called every 30 seconds. If we didn't answer, (we only answered her call once all weekend) she'd call right back again, but never would leave a message. I knew it was her without caller id because if we didn't pick up, she would call R's cell phone. She knows she better not call my cell phone unless her house is on fire or a parent is hurt/not breathing and she needs my help. I've already been through enough calls from her, on my cell for her to be taught that, by me. This weekend has been better, so hopefully I got through to her about calling all. day. long. But I ask myself is this really my job? and where are her parents at? do they not realize that she is using the phone constantly? Then on, Tuesday morning my girls had orthodontist appointments at 7:30. P took them, the neighbor girl did not show up at my house before 8, when I have to leave for school. I didn't get a phone call to tell me she wasn't coming. After she called all weekend long, that made me so mad. I didn't call her, because really it's not my responsibility to call, it's her mother's, right? When I asked her about it she lied to me, and said her mom's cell phone and house phone batteries were dead, which I could almost believe since she was calling my house all weekend. But then the other neighbor girl asks, how girl #1 mom could call girl #2 her dad about girl #1 walking to school with girl #2. Did ya follow all that? It was not easy trying to get ready for work, listening for the door, and no one knocking on the door. No respect right?

Is this day over yet?

Working all day, taking a girl to her dance class, cooking dinner, cleaning up from dinner, getting ready to host our bible study group makes it a long day. And soon the house will be full of people, then the cleaning up afterwards. But really everyday seems to be, today just more so. P has been working late shifts and not home for dinner, and his only night off this week is Friday, but he'll be going to a football game with his Dad. I am glad he gets to spend time with his Dad, I just wished there was a night he was home and could help me with dinner. Today was my first in service day, it wasn't at all as bad as I thought, but we were only on campus taking a test, and meeting with 3 of the Spec Ed teachers, so it was not boring, and actually kind of fun. Too bad we couldn't do that type of training every month. I don't know if my foot surgery really took. But maybe it's still too early to tell, the doctor did say 3 months, and it's just been 6 weeks or so. I just thought by now it would be better by now :(

The Best Kind of Day

I had to take a CPR and First Aid class this morning. Which meant I only had to be on campus for a few hours this afternoon. Made the day go by, swimmingly fast. Next Wednesday there is an early release day for staff development, bet that doesn't go by as fast. I've got my schedule worked out so that I don't have as much walking (at least not as much as last week) The only draw back is I am with a kindergarten student most of my day, which would be OK, except she doesn't walk on her own, her walker is short (because she is) and it kills my back.

Not too relaxing...so far that is

When business takes over from fun, I feel stressed. That's how I am feeling now. Some of the business I can fix, so hopefully next weekend does not leave me in the same stressed state. I don't even feel like I accomplished all that much yet. I'm to tired and the only reason I am sitting here blogging this is because P and J are in my room watching a tape of the Cardinals game from earlier and I can't go to bed until they get out, which I hope is soon, because we've got to get up for both morning services tomorrow.

Oh my achy

feet and leg muscles. Today I had less walking, then the first 2 days of school, but this afternoon my feet hurt worse. And my legs got a good workout today sitting in a kindergarten chair, for a lot of the day.

Hectic

That's the word I'd use to describe the first 2 days of school. Not only for me but for the kids as well. J missed the bus on the first day, it was a little early, he was a running little late. Today should be better, my schedule will change hopefully for the better. As it was I was in one classroom for 30 minutes then off to another place, usually that meant all the way across campus. Yuck. I've been so tired the last 2 night I've falling asleep sideways on my bed, watching the Olympics, P has had to help me move so he can go to bed.

If only...

Back to school meant cool fall temperatures like I remember first days of school in PA. But, growing up I don't remember ever starting school until after Labor Day. Not that it would make any difference in Phoenix though, because it will be hot until about Thanksgiving, maybe not as hot in a couple of months, but not cool for a long time yet. I'm going to miss the coolness of my house and my fans! Not looking forward into climbing into the car to come home at the end of the day, after it's baked out in the sun for 7 hours. This summer has felt like it has gone by faster than any I can ever remember. Jeez, it doesn't seem like we did anything. But really I guess we did, J was at scout camp for 5 weeks, S had her leadership camp, went to church camp, dance recitals, 6 Thursday outings with friends from church, foot surgery, oral surgery, doctors and orthodontist appointments, movies gone to, etc, etc. It doesn't feel like we did too much, that the summer went by faster, but it did seem like at one point over the summer that very rarely all 5 of us were at home at the same time, that makes me a little sad, but maybe we got along better by not being all together so much! We are ready to go back to school, other than the thoughts of having to pack lunches and doing homework!

Car Things

I hate even getting gas, and when I'm out and the car decides not to start, flat tire or the car stalls, etc. I tend to freak out a little. For this reason when I was single my brother-in-law whom I'd call when ever these types of things happen, gave me for my birthday one year a AAA membership. When P and I got married, he thought renewing it was pointless. I was not comfortable in canceling, because what if I'm alone with the kids and something happens, or just alone, and I can't get a hold of him. Today was one of those days I am thankful for AAA, as I was out doing errands this afternoon, and just out of the blue, the car does not start. Luckily I had just gone to the library, so I had something to read, while I waited for nearly an hour, and I was able to wait inside for the AAA service guy. The battery was shot. To Checker I went, and got a new battery, it was 2 years and 2 weeks ago we last got a battery, it feels like it was just last year, I was a little concerned that the warranty would be used up, but it wasn't so yeah, it didn't cost anything for a new battery, the warranty starts over and Checker took out the old battery and put the new one in. Which I would just be clueless how to do. I even forgot where the lever was to open to hood (the Checker guy helped me with that too)